The present invention relates in general to helmets and helmet devices.
One of the casualties of on-going efforts to improve the safety of football helmets in particular and safety helmets in general is the obstruction or total loss of peripheral vision. The football helmet has evolved from a form fitting, leather, aviator-style cap to today's high-impact plastic, shock absorbing crash helmet. This high-tech box is further augmented for player safety with padded chin strap, and face cage. For linemen, a wrap-around plexiglass shield for eye protection may also be added. While all these features add to player safety, the effect is to limit the field of the player's vision. The vision restrictive nature of the helmet is sometimes compounded with padding and structural features on shoulder pads which nominally protect against rotational and snap back injuries to the neck, which limits the view of the player to that similar to a tunnel.
That the players' peripheral vision is compromised is on display wherever football is being played. Virtually all players to greater or lesser extent display the same exaggerated “turn to Look” behavior when on the field of play. While on the surface this may not be much of a problem, lack of peripheral vision undoubtedly results in injury when contact from the side or back is unexpected, not to mention the innumerable dropped passes, missed tackles and blocks, and quarterback sacks.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a helmet apparatus that provides peripheral vision to the wearer of a helmet.